


Once Upon A Dream

by telrhavaniel



Series: Repercussions [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 22:13:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7549270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telrhavaniel/pseuds/telrhavaniel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been twenty four years since he was last in the human world. Twenty four years since he last saw that miserable wench.<br/>In that time, he's helped the King to protect their people. He managed to find his One.<br/>Now the King has asked him to return to that grey metallic world, and seek out someone with the Sight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A sort of cross-fiction idea that I've been toying with for a while now. It gets pretty dark in places.

Chapter 1: Seismic

This can’t be it. Not after everything we’ve been through together. We were supposed to stay by each others side until…  
It was almost impossible to move without difficulty. The toxic gases which had permeated the air following the devastating blast had proven too much for her. Intelligent though she was, her advanced technology wasn’t enough to replace a beaten and bloody body. 

And as powerful as I am, I was unable to save her.

I had been poisoned, stripped of the ability to communicate with my forbears, survived an assassination attempt by my own uncle, prevented all out destruction of an innocent city…  
And I couldn’t save her.

From where I currently lay, I could see her prone form clearly – her once luscious raven locks now an eerie silhouette against her body. Her trademark black and red leather outfit, complete with electric glove, were just out of my reach. It was all I could do to not forcibly drag myself over to her and weep for her pain. Many years ago, when I had been ‘cleansed’ of most of my abilities, I had thought myself to be experiencing my lowest point of my whole life. My abilities were such a large part of my identity that, at the time, I did not see how I could ever be without them. But now, as I had been forced to watch my love breathe her last, I had come to realise that I could simply never be without her. Friends for years before we had realised the true depth of our feelings towards each other, she had always been at my side. As my most loyal companion, she had barely noticed when notions of friendship had become more romantic. As my love, she had barely noticed when anyone cast a sideways glance at us. 

‘Two women in love?’  
‘Can’t be right.’  
‘Never seen two men be together so openly, so why should two women be together like this?’  
‘Always together too. Inseparable.’

We had never paid any attention to such meaningless talk. Especially as it became clear to people that this wasn’t a passing fancy. That she and I were meant to be as one.  
All of those who have walked my path before me have had one love. People without whom they simply would have given up when the demands of our life became too much. When one passes, the other joins within a year. 

~This isn’t right. She would not have wanted you to give up so easily. She always knew that her life would be at risk, being with you, and still she stood proud and tall at your side.~ 

Tears began to fall as my forbears attempted to reason with me. Would they not allow me one moment to grieve? After dedicating my entire life to them, could they not at least give me that?

~There is a way to preserve what she died fighting to protect. To honour her properly, and to maintain the balance. You must not give up. You have never given up! You always fight for what is right!~

Her emerald eyes were glazed over now. I remembered how they would sparkle when a mischievous thought crossed her mind, or when she had finished developing the latest technology to help someone less fortunate than herself. How her obscenely long black eyelashes would flutter when she laughed, or when – 

~When I lost the woman I loved to the Face-Stealer, all I wanted to do was quit. Find some isolated part of the world and live out the rest of my days buried in my grief. But I still remembered. And I decided that the best way to continue life was to honour her memory. Finish what she started to maintain the balance.~

Rubies. I had often compared her lips to rubies that gleamed when she smiled. How many hours had I spent staring at them, when I was supposed to be concentrating on another task? I could not suppress the hysterical giggle that escaped my throat as I recalled the feel and taste of her lips.

~To separate the worlds, you will need to remove the ability to bend. Completely. From every person and every animal. Only once you have taken all of that power unto yourself will you be able to separate the worlds. That will send this terror back, and restore the balance.~  
You have lived through much. You have seen many horrors that we had not known to exist. Know that you are not alone now. We are here with you. 

Separate the worlds. Send those vicious bastards back to whatever hole they crawled out of. Before they do anything else to her. At that moment, I didn’t really care for the rest of the world, though somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it would ultimately be the right thing to do. Our peoples had proudly wielded their various abilities for hundreds of thousands of years. So much power was why they had needed my forbears and myself. To ‘maintain the balance’ between peoples. To prevent conflict and war. Yet we had never known the possibility of another material world, full of its own peoples. Peoples caught up in their own destructive wars, murdering millions of people simply for belief in another god. The people in my world had suffered when those weaponised carriages had burst into our sights. When then hand-held cannons had shot hundreds within minutes because someone disliked their skin colour. 

When she had tried to defend people. 

The images were forever burned onto my mind. Her snowy skin bruised from the punches, her leather jacket ripped from her back. The bamboo cane snapping against her skin, and even as she refused to show any pain, their hands were upon her…

~It is not over.~

The pain that racked my body as my forbears took control was nothing. The feeling of every cell in my body engorging on the abilities of every living thing in this world was nothing. The knowledge that the cycle had just removed all power from our world was nothing.The relief when the combined power proved great enough to throw the murderous invaders back to their own world was nothing.

The only relief I found was the knowledge that my exhausted body would soon walk with hers in the spirit world once again. That I would know happiness with her at my side, was the only thing that I was capable of feeling at the moment when my life ended, and the cycle continued elsewhere.


	2. Chapter 2: Meditations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In another world, a young woman dreams of events beyond her reach.

‘Dani? DANI!!’

Such was the usual response whenever my best friend noticed me daydreaming. I proceeded to run my fingers through my hair, in a poor attempt to appear casual. It did not convince her however.

‘Why is it, that whenever we start watching this show, you always go into some weird-ass trance? Trying to get into the Avatar state huh?’ Damn. She knows me well. Freakishly well. Best friends for thirteen years though – has to count for something! 

‘Zoe, how on Earth would a mere coffee shop girl like myself get into the Avatar state?’ I questioned teasingly.

‘I dunno…Drugs?’ Came the reply that I most certainly was not expecting. 

‘Well? Why are you zoned out? And you can’t say it’s because you’re tired – you’ve only just woken up!’ That was why she was my best friend. Sarcasm. I simply can’t live without it. But I decided to tell her the truth, if only to make her ease up on the interrogation.

‘I had the dream again.’

Zoe had seen what ‘the dream’ did to me. I almost always woke up in the middle of the night covered in cold sweats. I completely lost my voice (though nobody had ever told me that I screamed whilst having it), and I became restless for days. Ill even. I would burn a fierce temperature that no doctor could ever explain, my reflexives were heightened, I would develop an urge to just go…away. So seeing me speak of this in such a calm way most have been a little worrying for her. 

‘Was it the same woman again? Sprawled out on the floor, as though she had just been…?’

‘Raped? Yeah. Same bruises, same…stains on her clothing. Only this time, I saw more…’

‘More? Did you want to? Oh god, do NOT take that in an awful way!’

‘Well…’ I hesitated. I had wanted to see more of how and WHY this beautiful woman had suffered so much, but I didn’t want to come across as a sadistic bitch.

‘I thought that if I knew what happened, I could stop it? You know, next time I have the dream.’

‘Uh-huh. Dani, you know I’m not a crazy religious type right?’ Deadpan. Please not that expression.

‘Well, every time you have this dream you see more, hear more, smell more! And you have been having this dream for what, twenty years? Longer even, if what you’re mum says about your sleepless nights as a baby is true. Maybe, you’re supposed to know more. To prevent it from happening?’

Well if we were firmly not in the realm of crazy religious types, then I suppose I can say this without her completely freaking out: ‘It already has happened.’

‘Prevent it from happening again? You see the abuse she suffers from another person’s perspective right? What if it’s like in The Crow, where Eric sees what Shelley suffered through touching her things AFTER it had already happened?’

‘No. When I last had the dream, I was watching it, I was there. I was completely powerless to save her, and…’ Wait, what? How did those words get into my head? Where had I heard them before? Zoe saw the look on my face and realised what had happened.

‘Dani, how is everything else? It’s been nearly ten years since he left. You’ve grown up, moved out, you went to university! You have a great job, studying to get another – you travel all the time. Is this dream maybe trying to get you to deal with what happened, in a more, head-on way?’ She was being serious. But the very exaggerated double-chin, coupled with the tone of her voice, made me burst with laughter.

‘Zoe! That is some psychiatric shit right there! I’m okay. I actually haven’t been thinking about that stuff since…well since I broke up with Ste.’

‘Thank god you did as well, or we’d never have had the chance to watch this crazy good show! Come on, I wanna see if Katara manages to find that waterbending master.’

Later, when we had made our way through Book 1 and 2, we had collapsed on the floor in a heap of blankets and cushions. I was busy reading the latest political news when Zoe suddenly commented from beside me:

‘Ooh, the Legend of Korra apparently has a lesbian couple. Show received some high praise for doing such a story.’

‘It’s a nice way of introducing children to LGBT relationships I suppose, what with it being a cartoon and all. What’s the name? Of the next Avatar’s girlfriend I mean.’

‘Asami Sato.’

I couldn’t hear Zoe screaming as the seizure began. When I came to, she was sobbing in the corner of the room, holding her mobile. When I was able to talk, I managed to gasp out three words:

‘Asami…Raped…Dream.’


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up in a hospital after a seizure is never pleasant. Especially when your next of kin happens to be someone you've been avoiding for years...
> 
> Also Dwalin :)

The first thing that I heard was a whimpering, snivelling voice. Great, my mother is here. I have a seizure, terrify my best friend and then she has to come to the hospital. Thank you universe.

I wasn’t allowed to mentally curse my mother for much longer though, as the nurse had come by to see if I was conscious yet. When I asked her were my mother was currently being detained, she sniggered. It seems she has had the pleasure of her company after all. Must remember to buy her a ‘thank you’ card when I get discharged.

‘Miss Nyrene? Miss Daniella Nyrene? There seems to be some confusion with your parents – I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind clearing it up?’ Yep. Definitely been dealing with shitty relatives when she should be allowed to perform her job.

‘I can tell you that the charming lady out there is, unfortunately, most definitely my mother. My stepfather is currently, er, in prison? Erm, so whoever is out there with my mother is –‘  
‘IT’S BEEN TWENTY-FOUR YEARS, YE INSUFF’RABLE WENCH! HOW DARE YE NO’ TELL ME WE ‘AD A WEE BAIRN TOGETHER!’

For some reason, my brain has always chosen moments such as this for experimental comedy. In my most exasperated voice, I spoke to the under-appreciated nurse.

‘Don’t suppose you have any more of that morphine? I’m sure the hospital would love to be able to hear again, sometime in the foreseeable future.’ Cheeky wink, so that she knows I’m joking. Perfect. Thank you brain. 

The owner of the voice chose that precise moment to change into the ward and firmly plant himself at my bedside. I turned from the nurse and moved to look at the man who had, quite brilliantly, just called my mother an ‘insuff’rable wench.’

‘Twenty four years…Mahal I’ve missed so much o’ ye growin’ up. Thorin’s gonna kill me, that’s for sure. Lass, erm, it seems that I’m by way o’ bein… yer father.’ 

Whenever this sort of thing happens in a film, all of the characters have this huge outpouring of emotion. Tears flow, people scream with joy at being reunited with a long lost family member. But the last time my mother had allowed a man to introduce himself to me in such a way…

‘Lass? Now I know I don’ exactly look, erm, normal for the people ‘ere. What with me amazin’ beard an’ all. But I’ve already ‘ad a healer take some o’ yer blood for a… DEE-EN-AY?’

I laughed. Couldn’t help it. The top of his skull was balding with some very impressive looking tattoos, and he had coarse black hair halfway down his back. Then there was the beard itself – amazing didn’t quite cover it. It was easily down to his stomach, with two moustaches joining it. He seemed to be quite taken with period clothing, as he was decked out mostly in thick cottons and furs, and on his fingers he wore what I assumed to be knuckle-dusters. Only, these looked like they could kill one of the Sons of Anarchy. With ease. 

That thought alone bought me to the stark realisation: this guy is dangerous. Maybe not once you get to know him, but he looks like he can handle himself in a fight. Regardless of whether or not he started the damn thing. And he slept with my mother? They seemed to be around the same height, but I honestly couldn’t imagine my mother liking this kind of guy. Well, she didn’t like any guy that she couldn’t accuse of rape and mistreatment, but still…

‘Dani? Oh, baby you scared me!’ Kill me now. I’m done. I’ve managed to not speak to her for six years, so why is she suddenly here?

‘Yes this is your father and his name is Dwalin and no I didn’t tell you because honestly he isn’t the type to stick around and form any type of commitments or attachments to the things that really matter in life. So Zoe said you had a seizure because she was talking to you about some lesbian couple?’ 

Wait, what? Non sequiturs. Always with the damn non sequiturs. Makes talking with her so damn hard. Also, Dwalin was turning quite an alarming shade of purple, so I knew that she was lying about him not wanting to be in my life. More than likely she didn’t tell him she was pregnant because she thought he would tell her to lay off the drugs if he was involved. But before I could continue my musings, he spoke:

‘I were wond’ring if ye fancy comin’ to stay with me an’ yer family for a while lass? Just while you get better is all. We do ‘ave a lot of catchin’ up to do.’ The sideways glare that he threw my (still talking) mother went neither unnoticed nor unappreciated.

‘Sure. Sounds great. I’d love to meet everyone!’ Smile and act happy. It always works. Keeps people from asking about you when something is actually really wrong. Memories are a bitch sometimes.

My mother had to be physically removed from the hospital ward when she attempted to pull out my IV. 

Apparently that would have convinced me not to go with someone who, in less than two minutes, had shown more parental love for me than she ever had on my twenty four years of living.


	4. Chapter 4: Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving in Middle Earth, arguing with a Dwarf King...
> 
> Also Fili

The next day was a flurry of activity for me. After being convinced that I was not in any pain, the doctors allowed me to discharge myself. The first thing that I did was call Zoe, jut to tell her that I was okay. She wasn’t surprised to hear of my mother’s antics, but she was interested to know more about Dwalin.

‘He seemed genuinely upset that he had missed out on my childhood. And he did call her an insufferable wench.’ I recounted with the utmost glee.

‘He sounds like you! Give me a call EVERY DAY, ‘cos you know I’ll want to know everything.’

Just like that, I was back in my home, packing a few bags for my stay with my biological father. I was always the ‘prepare for everything’ type of person, so I had packed all my clothes, boots and books. I wonder if I’ll get the chance to read through The Silmarillion again? It’s been so long. When I was finally ready, I hoisted my rucksack over my shoulders and walked out my front door. Fumbling in my coat pockets, I found the piece of paper with Dwalin’s address on it.

Ered Luin?

Something blurred past my peripheral vision, and when I looked up, my jaw dropped. Not this world. Nope, definitely not this world. 

Dark blue rock towered above me, with snow-capped peaks being just barely visible. Mountains. The Misty Mountains? More movement, but this time it seemed that a small boulder had just decided to stand up and walk. Curiosity got the better of me, so I moved to follow the walking boulder. As I got closer I realised that it was actually just a short person, who was wearing very bulky clothing and…ARMOUR? That was most certainly a helmet and…ISTHATANAXE?

‘Excuse me? Sir?’ The boulder-person turned. I continued on, trying my hardest not to stare.

‘I was asked to meet my father here, perhaps you know him? Tattoos on his head, long black beard, terrifying knuckle-dusters, goes by the name of Dwalin?’ Smile sweetly, so that it doesn’t think you’re a threat. Maybe just an idiot. The boulder shrugged, and continued walking. 

What else was I supposed to do?

I followed the boulder-person for what seemed like hours, until I saw some houses not too far ahead. There was a sturdy gate protecting the town, with more boulder-people walking along the top. Guards. Boulders who are guards. In Ered Luin. First the dream, now this? My boulder-person walked much closer to me when we passed through the gate. I was glad of this, for it seemed that everyone wanted to stare at the non-bearded woman. I was only too thankful for my think black Parka coat, which covered my entire body. I didn’t want to imagine how these people would react if they saw any flesh. 

Wait, flesh? WHO is THAT? Brown tanned skin, with glorious golden hair and… he has hair everywhere doesn’t he? Cheeky wink, so that he knows I’m interested… THANK YOU BRAIN!

‘Lass? LASS! Ye came! I weren’t sure ye would!’ Dwalin was hugging me? Only, last time I checked, I was supposed to be able to breathe when receiving a hug.

‘…And Balin ‘as ye all set up in yer own ‘ome, and Thorin’s been real agreeable to you ‘aving a job – just till we find ye Craft o’ course – and Dis ‘ave said she’ll teach ye all ye need to know ‘bout being a proper Dam…’ Oh, wait, was I meant to be listening? I nodded gamely, and replied.

‘Dwalin, I am honoured that you and the family have gone to all this trouble just to make me feel comfortable whilst I’m here. But, may I ask… where exactly is here?’

The awkward silence was not what I had been expecting. I could feel everybody’s eyes on me, as though I were a dangerous spider to be chased away and destroyed. 

‘Daniella Nyrene?’

‘Er, yes?’

‘On behalf of everyone here, I wish to formally welcome you to our settlements here, in Ered Luin. I apologise for how far you were forced to walk with that pack weighing you down.’ Oh.My.God. I would know those eyes anywhere. Come to think of it, I would know that hair, that beard, that authoritative tone of voice anywhere. Thorin Oakenshield? THE THORIN OAKENSHIELD? 

After all the excitement of the past few days, my mind was swimming. I collapsed in a heap onto the floor. Dwalin was the first to help me – by placing a hand under my right elbow he gently tried to hoist me back up. I clung to the front of his tunic, and I vaguely registered somebody yelling for my pack to be removed. Thorin, if I had to guess. He was looking at me, worry evident in his face.

‘I will have the dwarf who escorted you here suitably punished for not helping you when you are clearly unwell. It is utterly disgraceful for a weak female to –‘

‘Let me stop you right there!’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I am no weak female! The pack was not bothering me at all, so leave that poor boulder alone. He did nothing wrong.’ Dwarf, not boulder, I realised too late. Thorin’s brow rose at my outburst.

‘If you are not weak, then why did you collapse?’

‘I…I was in a hospital yesterday.’

‘I see. And do people not usually visit a hospital when they are unwell or weak?’ Arrogant bastard. In this state of mind, I really did not need to hear sniggers in the crowd that had gathered.

‘I collapsed because you do not exist.’ I smirked at his confusion.

‘You will explain yourself, woman.’ Wrong choice of words there.

‘Very well. Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror, named Oakenshield for his deeds at Azunulbizar and EVERYBODY HERE – you are all characters in a series of books written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Actually, you’re in luck! I bought the books with me. So, when you’ve finished wiping the floor with your open jaws, you can show me to MY house, inform of when I shall begin MY job, and you will read those books. Oh, and if you EVER refer to me as ‘woman’ ever again, I will take that Oakenshield and stick it right up your Oaken-arse, you gutless, dickless, worm-headed sack of fucking monkey shit!’ 

With that, I managed to spin on my heel and flounce off, leaving a flabbergasted dwarf king behind me. When I heard spluttering, I promptly turned around and moved the pack from my back. Rummaging through, I soon found what I was looking for. I threw my old copy of ‘The Hobbit’ at him, and walked off. 

I had barely walked twenty steps when gorgeous golden was at my side, taking the pack from me. I glared at him.

‘I can manage.’ He smiled. Oh, why did he have to do that? I was being so angry!

‘I know you can manage lass. But I wanted to show you to your new home before Uncle got the urge to punish you for that little outburst.’ Still smiling. Bastard. He even has dimples. How is it even possible that someone with a beard and moustache braids could have clearly visible dimples?

‘Ugh, thanks? And I meant what I said – I hate being referred to in such a derogatory manner.’

‘And about everyone being characters in a book?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh.’ Please don’t stop smiling. I already know that I prefer when you smile. Change tact?

‘So, you know my name. What’s yours?’ Sweet smile again. I either flirt or try to convince potential threats that I’m an idiot. I’m also now living in a storybook. Apparently sensing my inner monologue, gorgeous golden chuckled.

‘Fili, at your service.’ 

I collapsed again. Only this time, there were a pair of strong muscular arms around my waist before I could hit the floor. I looked up to see worry creasing his gorgeous brow.

‘Lass, that’s twice now that you’ve fainted. Are you sure you’re alright?’ Oh god he cares.

‘The first time wasn’t nearly as comfortable,’ I giggle like a schoolgirl. 

‘Lass?’ 

‘Well the first time I didn’t have you to catch me.’ Still giggling, I realise that he has straightened me up so that I am now standing. He threads my arms through his (For support, I tell myself), and he leads me down the street. The conversation continues only when my giggling has ceased.

‘So are you in the habit of carrying a woman’s pack for her? Or am I just special?’

‘It’s considered terribly impolite to make any female carry something that is clearly too heavy for them.’

‘But it wasn’t too heavy!’ I protested yet again.

‘So why were you in the hospital? Dwalin told us that you had had a seizure? Is that serious?’

I paused. I wasn’t entirely sure how to answer. With meeting Dwalin and coming to Middle Earth, I hadn’t really had time to think about why I had had the seizure in the first place. Could I trust anyone with that information, or would they all think me insane? I glanced at Fili. From what the stories said of him, he was brave and compassionate. Perhaps I could try and trust him?

‘I had a friend tell me something that… I think I’ve known for a long time now, but it’s only come to me in a dream? But it’s a really terrible dream, and so to finally have the…’ I floundered, grasping for words. I had no idea how to tell him what happened. But he seemed to understand.

‘So you have a bad dream, quite regularly, and you only just realised something important about it? And that was what made you have the seizure?’ 

‘Yes.’

‘Oh.’ One word answer. Not good. Maybe I should try talking about something else?

‘Why are you naked?’ Brain. Why? And why is he smiling?

‘Long day at the forge. And we have very few females, so we do all that we can to attract a mate.’ As he whispered the last part, I noticed that he leaned in closer. I turned to face him properly. It wouldn’t be so bad to kiss him, would it? I leaned in, smiling inwardly when he did likewise. Unfortunately, the universe had other ideas.

‘FILI! GET YOUR ‘ANDS OFF ME DAUGHTER!’ 

Groaning, I pulled away from gorgeous golden. Fili seemed surprised that I would be upset in doing so, but as he grinned I realised that he must have wanted a quick kiss too. So, despite Dwalin stalking over to us in a particularly aggressive manner, I quickly tugged on one of Fili’s moustache braids and kissed him on the lips. When I pulled away and saw his shocked face, I laughed and flicked his nose. 

Before I could even register what happened, Dwalin had hoisted me off the floor, and was running with me over his shoulder down the road. I managed to blow a kiss to Fili who, brilliantly, pretended to catch it and push it into his heart. I laughed more than I had for a long time.


End file.
